I'll Kill You To Return The Deed
by ValaiNoctem
Summary: A grave betrayal leads Uzumaki Naruto down a dark path beyond of Konoha. When fished from the river by the most unlikely person; can an immortal from Naruto's past, the demon he holds inside, and an organization of the Elemental Nations' most wanted missing Shinobi help Naruto fulfill his new ambition or will it lead to the rise of an assassin bent on revenge? HinaSasu Naru/Harem?
1. Final Betrayal, Savior Of The Past

It had all started at the Valley of the End, where the 1st and 2nd Hokage of Konohagakure had once fought many years ago; as the cold rain began to fall two boys were near the river feeding into the mighty waterfall. One of the boys was lying on his back, a hole clean through his chest as his spiked blonde hair fanned around him, his face grace with three whisker mark upon each tan cheek as he lie unconscious. The boy above him was staring down at the tan boy with an emotionless glare, his onyx eyes and raven hair making his pale skin look even whiter. As the raven looked over the blonde as he bled out onto the ground he had decided not to leave it to chance that he would live beyond those final moments, he gripped the boy's legs and drug him to the edge of the river. The blonde gave a faint groan unable to move then opened his eyes faintly; he could just make out the face of the raven as he glared down at him. The roaring of the river told the blonde just how close he was before he tried to move but found the strength to do little more than mutter then name of the raven.

"Sasuke…" The blonde murmured before the raven growled and stomped on the blonde's chest.

The blonde cried out in agony before Sasuke gave a dark smirk.

"You're a dead last, Uzumaki Naruto. You'll always be a dead last." Sasuke smirked before he looked over the waterfall.

Naruto looked up at Sasuke with a broken heart in his eyes as the raven sat down with a smug look on his face. Sasuke enjoyed having power over the usually hyperactive blonde before him; he liked having the power to decide his fate for him as he stood with his foot on the blonde's chest. At one time he might've coddled the blonde close and told him that things would be alright, but no longer would he be held back by that single bond of weakness. He was ready to end the final thing that kept his heart tied to Konohagakure, Naruto had been his rock for as long as he was afraid to swim away but he was no longer afraid. Naruto was at one time his closest friend and maybe more to him, but he was never one for emotional ties and had accepted the blonde's silent feelings but never returned them anymore then holding him at night when he would cry. He hated when Naruto cried, but he was going to have to grow up without the raven in his life from then on.

"Is it worth it, Uchiha Sasuke?" Naruto weakly growled before the raven stomped his chest once more.

Sasuke glared down at Naruto before he rolled the blonde onto his side letting him stare into the river, Naruto could see how pitiful he looked as Sasuke put his foot on his side.

"Your love was what held me back, after this I am free of Konoha and free totake my revenge." Sasuke grinned, rocking Naruto from side to side.

Naruto's eyes welled up with tears hearing those words from Sasuke's own mouth, he had tried so hard to keep the raven where he was but it was never good enough. The raven always wanted more than the blonde could give; Sasuke's only true ambition was to kill someone who had wronged him so many years when they killed his entire clan. The man had been his own older brother but since that day Sasuke was damaged and bound to pursue his older brother and kill him no matter who it hurt. Naruto let his hand drop into the water as if to signal his defeat before Sasuke smirked and kicked the blonde into the water, his face was scrapped by a sharp rock leaving a cut over his left eye and on his right cheek leaving a faint trial of blood in the water. Sasuke watched as the blonde was tossed among the rough waters, his smirk widening as he watched the blonde vanish into the waterfall with satisfaction. With a sigh of great relief the raven slowly began to make his way to Otogakure and the power that was so precious to him, Naruto quickly began little more than a memory to him with each step that he took.

'_He wasn't worth the effort._' Sasuke thought giving a final glance behind him before vanishing into the trees.

Little did the raven know that when Naruto had been sent over the waterfall a veil of red chakra had form over the blonde to protect him from any more harm as it healed the cuts on his face. Though they left no scars, the betrayal left scars far deeper in his heart. A dark chuckle spun through the blonde's mind. The chakra had vanished after 3 miles of river to be picked up by an albino wearing the most unlikely of clothing; the man gave a scowl but threw the blonde onto the bank anyways and looked him over. The cloak he wore was black with red clouds on it letting the world know whom he was with but what made him stand out the most was what people didn't see.

"Oi, wake the fuck up Gaki." The man growled jabbing Naruto with the bottom of his three bladed scythe.

A growl came from Naruto that wasn't human as red chakra formed behind him taking the form of a small yet dangerous looking Kitsune, the man backed up as its nine tails flared out. The man gave a growl to the Kitsune before he folded his arms over his chest as if to dare the creature to try something, the Kitsune growled and curled around the blonde as it began to heal the internal wounds to Naruto's organs. The albino was ready to turn around when he gave a closer look to the blonde and stopped dead in his tracks, he had seen the blonde before when he was younger.

He vividly remembered saving him from a group of villagers when he was in a village that was covered in trees, it pissed him off so much that he had forgotten the name of the village but he knew that they were getting over a run-in with a demon Kitsune that had killed their Kage before a previous Kage took the dead man's place. With a glare the man sat down with his scythe in man trying to think of the name of the blonde but no name would come to mind, with a growl he gave the Kitsune the finger and stood. At that moment he had to be the bravest man alive, he picked up the boy from the scruff of the neck and looked him over carefully.

"Oi, Gaki!" The man yelled shaking Naruto, "Wake the fuck up!" He growled as Naruto opened his eyes part way.

The first thing that Naruto noticed was the lavender eyes and snowy white hair, the next thing was the unmistakable scowl on his face. His eyes widened further upon seeing the pendant of a Jashinist, the encircled triangle that was around the neck of the same man who had saved him 8 years ago; Naruto was only 4 at the time but he would never forget the man before him. The Kitsune behind Naruto growled but sat down sensing that Naruto didn't view the man as a threat but seemed curious about the man and Naruto as it watched with careful eyes.

"You…" Naruto said quietly, he noticed the cloak of his own bane.

"You joined Akatsuki?" Naruto asked with a dead tone, the man raised a brow.

"How the fuck do you know about Akatsuki, Gaki?" The man growled; he didn't seem happy to hear the word come from Naruto.

Naruto gave a deep sigh and hung his head; his body was still weak from his fight with Sasuke. The albino stared at the blonde as if demanding an answer before he ran out of patience, which was a lot longer than he had remembered. It only took Naruto a few moments longer before he spit out his whole story, from Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame trying to kidnap him to the last memories he had of Uchiha Sasuke before he was kicked into the river.

The albino gave a grunt before he set the blonde on his feet; he crossed his arms before he took off his cloak and wrapped it around the shivering blonde. Naruto was shocked when he felt the warmth of the cloak around him; he stared up at the albino before the man put a hand on the blonde's head with a faint smirk. The Kitsune huffed from behind the two before it returned to its chakra form and retired inside of the seal over Naruto's navel, with a careful hand the albino lead the blonde away from the river and to a camp fire where another man had sat. The man's face was hidden by a strange looking cap and mask but his neon green eyes stood out as he looked over the blonde, Naruto didn't like the feeling he got from the man and hid behind the albino before the man growled.

"Another sacrifice already, Hidan?" The man said in a gruff voice, Hidan glared darkly.

Naruto gave a faint gulp before he covered his ears.

"What the fuck does that mean, you dick?!" Hidan growled at the man, his eyes narrowed.

"You've been doing those ridiculous rituals all damn day." The man responded, his eyes returning to the stack of money in his hands.

"You're a fucking Atheist! Eat a fucking dick Kakuzu, preferably mine." He growled darkly before Naruto peeked out from behind Hidan.

For a moment he was actually both amused and relieved to see the albino once more, how long the feeling would last was anyone's guess as Kakuzu rose and walked up to Hidan. Naruto shrank back behind the taller immortal as he curled up more into the cloak Hidan had given him for warmth, he was so lost in why he felt safe with Hidan when he was in the Akatsuki but it wasn't the first time Hidan had protected him.

~_**8 years ago**_~

He was only 4 years old at the time but from an early age Uzumaki Naruto knew that he was different from other people, Konohagakure made him choke on the fact daily. He was always shunned by the villagers when he would go to them for even a small amount of food, to outsiders he was just a homeless boy but to the villagers he was a curse. Sealed inside of him was the Kyuubi No Kitsune, a mighty demon that nearly devastated the village before the 4th Hokage chose to seal the Yokai inside of Naruto the day he was born.

From that day on Sarutobi Hiruzen had resumed his role as the Hokage even in his old age, he had decreed that the young blonde would not be harmed and that attacks on him should be reported directly to the old Hokage. Sadly such reports were rarely made unless those truly loyal to the 3rd Hokage reported what they had seen, even then the villagers would shrug off their punishment and return to tormenting him the moment it was over. To the entire village the 4 year old boy was just as dangerous as the Kyuubi, some went as far as to call him the Kyuubi and rally together a yearly hunt to try and kill the boy.

"Time to hunt the beast, let this be the year we end it!" A man yelled as he ran through the streets with a kunai in his hand.

Villagers emerged from their homes as the sun began to set; some held torches while others held katana and shuriken as they followed the man. They were those who had lost the most during the Kyuubi attack and swore revenge against the innocent boy who didn't even know his own curse. They crept through the shadows like vermin searching for a meal, their fury burning in their eyes as they looked for the frightened boy. Naruto had learned to hide at night when the villagers were awake; he was surprised that he had not been killed yet by the numerous times he was stabbed by the villagers. He remembered on occasion where a kunai had been thrown into his left lung as well as his ribcage and left thigh, the villager had left him for dead but he had found the will to live and pulled out the kunai before watching his wounds heal. Certain wounds took longer for him to heal from but he hated the feeling a healing wound to one of his internal organs, it was a burning itch that he couldn't help but rub or scratch at.

'_Why do they hate me?_' The young boy thought as he hid under an old oak tree, he watched as 20 or more people walked past the small den he had made before he decided to leave it.

He quickly chose to run into an alley way but had gotten startled by a stray cat that had yowled and ran by him, knocking over a nearby trash can alerting the villagers to his location. Naruto ran as fast as his little legs could take him but he knew that he could never outrun them, he was proven right as a kunai sailed through the air and clipped his left leg making him trip over his own feet. The villagers cheered on those with poor aim hurled shuriken and kunai at him, the boy was nicked and scrapped by the misaimed weapons as he tried to crawl away.

A voice inside of him told him to keep moving before he heard a gruff laugh as a man walked up to him, Naruto whimpered in fear as he looked towards the gate of the village. It had been the only thing he was able to see each year as a different man placed his foot on boy's body to stop him from moving, this year however Naruto could see what looked like a man in white robes walking towards the village. He wasn't the only one to notice as the man whose foot was on his back had stopped laughing to stare at the stranger, he was an albino man whom held a scythe with three blades on it. The villagers who caught up to the boy ripped him out from under the man then threw him against the ground, the stranger didn't seem amused.

"What the fuck are you heathens doing?" The man growled; his eyes narrowed as the man stepped on the boy again.

"This thing is a demon in disguise; we're going to kill it." The man grinned grinding Naruto's face into the dirt.

The albino ground his teeth and swung his scythe, the sharp blades finding their way into the man's body with a loud squishing sound. Naruto looked up at the man while he pulled out his scythe, the man's blood spattering the snow white skin of his savior. Two Chuunin ranked Shinobi didn't take kindly to the killing of their leader in the mob and charged at the man before they too suffered the wrath of his scythe; their heads were severed and rolled next to the boy. Naruto's eyes widened as he stared into the lifeless yet still furious eyes of the villagers, their expression haunting him even beyond their death. The albino stared down at the boy before he pulled out a bible and began to read, the villagers turning and running in fear as the man read. Naruto couldn't understand the fear induced by reading from a book by a stranger; he stared up at the man before he finished his reading and closed his bible. Calm violet eyes met fearful and confused cerulean before the man vanished into the night, little did the boy know that in his most dire time of need the man would appear again to save him from his own demise.


	2. Memories of a Mate

It was an unusual night for Naruto as the sun began to set; he was unable to sleep due to how nervous he actually was around Kakuzu but Hidan made it a little easier for him. Whenever Kakuzu would bring up Naruto's possible end Hidan would become enraged, Naruto was more than relieved to see that not everyone in Akatsuki wanted him dead. Hidan was keeping a careful eye on the blonde since he was not in his right mind; he had been quiet ever since he was fished out of the river.

It was never a good sign when the usually loud and ambitious blonde was so quiet and defeated; when he was kicked into the river by the raven he once loved he lost part of himself. In his unique way Sasuke had pushed the blonde to better himself and his skills as a Shinobi, the two were rivals in every way that they could be and always tried to outdo the other. Sasuke was always looking down on the blonde as if it was all just a game to the raven; Naruto was only too eager to play along because it was a rare affection that the blonde would get from the raven. It was the affection of a rival to help him grow stronger even when he didn't think he could; Sasuke always gave Naruto the extra fuel to succeed through his sneering comments. Naruto gave a deep sigh before he hugged his knees to his chest, for once in his life he wished that he had never met the cruel raven and to disappear.

'_What the hell did I do to deserve this?_' Naruto thought in his mind hoping for an answer.

'_**Because you let it happen; child.**_' A deep voice rumbled from the corner of his mind the Kyuubi was kept.

Naruto gave a sigh resting his chin on his knees, once or twice he had considered letting the Kyuubi out of his cage but something inside of him told him to wait.

'_Why do you delight in tormenting me?_' Naruto asked the great Kitsune, '_Haven't you cause me enough pain…'_

'_**You know nothing of true torment ningen! Nothing of being in eternal pain!**_' The Kitsune snarled charging at the cage only to be thrown back by the seal.

Naruto flinched watching the great Yokai try to get through to cage that he was in, it was worse than the blonde thought as he watched the cage slowly shrink around the Kitsune until he couldn't even stretch out a single tail. Naruto frowned as he sat down in front of the cage, the Kyuubi growled as he watched the blonde run his fingers over the seal. It was always like this when the blonde was depressed, he would sit in front of the cage for hours just running his fingers over the seal until someone brought him out of his thoughts. Over the years the Kyuubi had gotten quieter as he watched the blonde struggle through daily life, even at a young age the Kyuubi would heal the blonde's wounds as fast as he could knowing the villagers wouldn't waste time killing the injured boy. Sometimes he would growl and snarl at the villagers as they beat the boy until he couldn't move, at times when drunks would try to steal away the boy's virginity the Kyuubi would let a wave of his chakra stun the men so the boy could run.

The bond of Bijuu and Jinnchuriki was little more than symbiosis, the Bijuu was locked safely within their Jinnchuriki and in return they would gain use of their chakra and healing abilities. In times of danger the Bijuu would be allowed partial control if not complete control over the body of the Jinnchuriki to protect them both, if the seal was broken without finding whom was in control the Bijuu was more likely to kill it's container and be reborn. Kyuubi was sealed within Naruto shortly after his Mate was killed by another village of Shinobi, while inside of the blonde the Kitsune would find himself thinking of his Mate when the blonde was lonely himself. Kyuubi's Mate had been a beautiful Kitsune with 4 long tails, his fur was a glittering snow white adorned with deep blue markings around his rose pink eyes. Though the Kyuubi No Kitsune was naturally fierce and violent he was a loyal Uke, the white Kitsune had been the Kyuubi's only Mate for as long as he could remember. Few could understand how the untamable Yokai could be an Uke let alone a creature able to find a Mate, but Kitsune Yokai were one of the few Bijuu whom could have pups even if they were male.

'_**I've lost my own Mate…long ago.**_' The Kyuubi uttered in attempt to make the blonde speak.

The blonde looked up at the confined Yokai with curious eyes; it was the first thing that the Kyuubi had told the blonde about himself.

'_I didn't know you even had a Mate._' Naruto murmured in his mind, the Kyuubi gave a faint chuckle as if he figured as much.

Before Naruto or the Kyuubi could say anything more to each other the blonde had been shaken from his inner world by a worried Hidan holding up a freshly cooked fish. Naruto looked at the fish before he gave a grateful nod before taking the fish and nibbling on it, Naruto wasn't too keen on fish but it was better than nothing. Kakuzu watched the blonde with an interested glare, even though Naruto didn't look like it Kakuzu's green eyes caught each feminine thing that the blonde had done even though the blonde didn't know he did it. When he ate the blonde would nibble at the fish without parting his lips as if he found it rude to show the food in his mouth, he would often rest his hands on his lap as if he were waiting for someone to talk to him before snapping out of his though. It was rather obvious to the bounty hunter that the blonde was very feminine and was most likely an Uke in male relationships, it showed even more when Hidan would interact with the blonde. Naruto would blush and shy his eyes away from the albino if he said something off color, Kakuzu found those things both rather amusing yet unusual since Hidan was very hard to like.

"You do know that's the Kyuubi No Kitsune's Jinnchuriki, right?" Kakuzu asked the albino for the sake of curiosity.

Hidan gave his partner a sharp glare making Naruto gulp.

"Jinnchuriki or not that is _**my **_Gaki you money hungry ball sucking bastard." Hidan growled before he sat behind Naruto whose face was grace with a deep red blush.

Naruto never had anyone call the blonde as their personal possession, not even Sasuke had called Naruto his. Kyuubi had flared his fur out faintly from hearing the albino call the blonde theirs; however the albino had reminded the Kyuubi of his own Mate.

-_**142 years earlier**_ -

He was the Yuuki No Kitsune, a proud Yokai of the Winter Lands; it had been a place of eternal cold even during the warmer periods of the year. The white Kitsune was a benevolent creature to those who were lost in the harsh storms, but to those who came with the intention to kill off the land that he protected it was even colder than the winds. His rose pink eyes were a mere shimmer of the rare sunlight that had graced the winter lands, he was diligent to protect his territory from outsiders or other Bijuu. He had recently caught the scent of a Kitsune who was 150 his junior but it didn't stop him from acting to begin the hunt of the intruder, his markings dulled to an icy blue to hide his form within the snow. With his nose to the ground Yuuki began to sniff through the fresh snow to see if he could find a scent of the intruder, to his surprise instead he had found a spot of blood. The blood was a rich red with the scent of warm wood and autumn leaves, Yuuki was confused by the scent but it didn't get him to stop his search. The bright tone of the blood told the white Kitsune that the blood was rather fresh; his intruder was wounded or had brought a kill here for something. The thought of someone coming to his lands a making a kill without homage made his marking darken for a moment; a nearby crashing of trees told him that the intruder was closer than Yuuki thought. With the silent paws of a winter hunter the Yuuki No Kitsune stalked the increasing scent of the intruder to come upon a Bijuu but a head and a half shorter than himself but a fiery orange with brown markings and eyes like fire, the Bijuu's nine tails had sudden flared out before the wind caught the large wound on its left side. The Kitsune growled in pain before lying down and growling in the direction of Yuuki, with a huff the white Kitsune let his markings darken as he shook out his fur and smirked.

"**You're in my home; if you weren't wounded I would rip out to fucking shreds.**" Yuuki snarled in delight that the Kitsune was too weak to retort.

"**You live in this frozen wasteland?**" Was the retort of the Kitsune, his nail tails moved around him to keep his body warm.

The Yuuki No Kitsune smirked again before he nodded. His pink eyes brightening as he looked over the wounded Kitsune, he knew all too well that his guest was the Kyuubi No Kitsune. To have the young Yokai within his lands was a surprise considering that the Kyuubi hated the cold, but the wound on his side seemed to be too great to let heal over in the warmer areas. Kyuubi growled to the white Kitsune as if to try and make him leave but Yuuki had no reason to leave his guest be; the Kyuubi had wandered into his lands so Yuuki would be where ever he wished to be. The Kyuubi groaned at the older male's persistence to stay where he was, it was almost embarrassing considering that Yuuki had less tails then him. To the Kyuubi he prided in his nine long tails and thought they were a symbol of his strength, than he ended up in an older Yokai's territory where the dominate Kitsune had four tails. Even in his weakened condition his pride dared him to growl at the Yuuki No Kitsune even though the older fox would merely snort and fling chilling snow onto the Kyuubi's open wound, the cold made the Kyuubi yip before he growled warming himself up again.

"**Do you **_**have **_**to do that?!**" The Kyuubi growled to his teasing watcher as Yuuki smirked.

Kyuubi hated being smirked at, more so by the older fox who seemed all too fond of poking fun at him. He had high hopes that the white Yokai would tire of his little jesting and go elsewhere so the Kyuubi could rest, but he found no answer as Yuuki chuckled and walked up to him. Kyuubi growled darkly to try to warn off the older Kitsune, his answer was paw to the muzzle before the chilling feeling of a tongue ran over his wound. The Kyuubi yelped and scooted away before Yuuki had gone so far as to literally mount the Kyuubi by sitting on his tails and hold him down, Kyuubi was both embarrassed and furious as Yuuki cleaned to wound. When Yuuki was gone he got off of the Kyuubi only to muse at the embarrassed Yokai, the Kyuubi's ears were laid back as his tails flared out to cover his body from further contact.

"_**Never **_**do that again.**" Kyuubi snarled before he curled up tighter.

Yuuki gave a huff then a chuckle seeing the blush in the Kyuubi's eyes.

"**Don't lie to yourself, you **_**enjoyed **_**being **_**under **_**me.**" Yuuki chuckled deeply lying near the Kyuubi.

In the frozen tundra was were the Yuuki No Kitsune had slowly wormed his way into the Kyuubi No Kitsune's heart, the two of them were much like fire and ice but they meshed so well that way. Kyuubi was unruly without Yuuki around to scold him and tell him not to do things, it was unusual for the Kyuubi to be so gently dominated and claimed before the Mating season that when it came time for him to choose a Mate he returned to the barren wasteland. To his surprise Kyuubi had found the white Kitsune waiting for him as the first gentle snow fell to the ground, with a yip of happiness the Kyuubi ran to the older male and nuzzled into him as if they were already Mated to one another. Yuuki merely chuckled running his body along the warm fur of the Kyuubi's resting his head on the orange rump as their tails wrapped around each other in a warm embrace, it was a harmony few Yokai found within their Mate. After they had Mated for the first time the two were never separate, the Kyuubi had even been able to pry the white Kitsune from his icy home to see the Kyuubi's territory. Yuuki had never seen so much green or colors of red and orange in the Fall seasons, Kyuubi had enjoyed the Winter in Yuuki's territory and the Summer in his own. The two had built two different dens incase the news of pups would some about, sadly the Kyuubi had proved a century and 50 decades too young to bare young. It was the only thing that he had regretted in his whole life, in his deepest of depressions Kyuubi used to image pups with Yuuki and what they would look like with their different colors. With a shake of his head the Kyuubi returned to his memories of a time where he was free, a time where he was more than just an empty shell.

A time where he was whole.


	3. Tales of the Past, The Kyuubi's Mark

After the sun had broken through the sky the trio of travelers were on the move, Hidan had told Naruto that they were going directly to the base of the Akatsuki. That had gotten Kakuzu fuming mad that Hidan would directly telling Naruto where they were going as if Kakuzu still planned to turn him into their leader, Naruto had decided to stay hidden behind Hidan throughout the argument since Hidan's skills of arguing were more successful. After several miles of yelling back and forth the two had stopped their arguing while Naruto remained silent, often at times the Kyuubi would take up a small physical form to run beside the blonde to keep an eye on him in case someone made a move to harm him. Hidan was impressed that Naruto had enough faith in the Bijuu to let him freely run outside of his cage, when Kakuzu sneered at the Yokai it was all too eager to snarl back. The Kyuubi was always on high alert and never stopped sniffing the ground and wind ahead for trouble, it was a very common trait among Kitsune Yokai to be cautious when not in a pack or with a Mate.

"Oi gaki, does that thing ever let up?" Hidan asked Naruto as the Kyuubi growled at a group of travelers it had caught scent of.

Naruto shook his head running a hand over the Kyuubi's tails.

"Iie…" Naruto mumbled to himself, he kept his eyes low to the ground.

Hidan gave a sigh resting his hand on the back of the broken blonde; Naruto hadn't slept at all the past night. He would close his eyes and appear to sleep but his mind had been restless, Kyuubi was just as restless in his cage. The only time Naruto had rested was for what seemed like mere seconds, his dream of a beautiful white Kitsune lying among the trees not far from Konohagakure. The Kitsune was lifeless as Naruto felt a sting in his heart before he woke, he could still see the grotesque way that Kitsune's throat was mangled by what looked like fangs. The sleepless night did little to improve the mood of the blonde as Kakuzu grumbled about wasted time, at one time during their journey Hidan was forced to carry the blonde on his back after the boy had collapsed. The Kyuubi had walked through every part of Naruto that he could find but found no damage to any organs, however the closer he got to the heart the harder it became for the Yokai to move. The emotional wounds were starting to affect the once hyperactive blonde's domineer as well as his own energy, eventually the Yokai returned to his cage as if he had never left it.

"Hidan, do you think the brat will even live to see Leader-Sama?" Kakuzu asked with a sneer making the albino glare.

"The gaki will live, I doubt the Bijuu with let him die." Hidan retorted, his voice lower than usual.

"Don't even fucking think about dying on me gaki, I saved your ass once already I'll fucking do it again." Hidan growled under his breath.

For a moment Kakuzu marveled as what seemed like mercy coming from the albino but quickly shook the thought from his head, Hidan didn't have a shred of mercy in his soul for anyone. The albino didn't even show mercy to lost children on the street, why was the blonde on Hidan's back any different. At first Kakuzu thought that it was because of the Kyuubi inside of the boy, Hidan wouldn't want to risk losing the Bijuu or else Leader would have his head as paper weight. Then a thought hit him that he had never thought of before, it was an old wanderer's story that the albinos had originated from the northern lands where the sunlight was rarely seen. Many said it used to be protected by a four tailed Yokai who controlled the weather and could vanish into thin air, many claimed that the albino were human children of the Yokai. None had ever claimed to be Mated to the great Yokai, few even claimed to know of it. Records were kept in villages closest to the frigid lands of albino children who were taken deep into the icy tundra and left for dead only to return to their villages years later, it was also feared that albinos were possible Jinnchuriki of the Yokai should it ever die.

'_Folk-lore and useless tales to keep people away from the Winter Lands._' Kakuzu scolded himself.

Though the Yokai was claimed to have been killed two features about it were still depicted in old scrolls, it was a Kitsune Yokai with snow white fur and rose pink eyes. Various scrolls had a variety of blue patterns upon the white fur while some had a purely white Yokai; Kakuzu glanced at Hidan before the albino glared back at him.

"What the fuck are you looking at?" Hidan growled; Kakuzu narrowed his eyes.

"Ever heard of the Winter Lands, Hidan?" The bounty hunter retorted.

Hidan's eyes narrowed into a dark expression, he knew all too well of the Winter Lands and the lore around it. He had wandered the Winter Lands in his youth; the lands were a bitter sweet place for him because it was there that he could say he was at ease. Few people knew that if they could brave the icy winds and bone chilling cold eventually they would find one of the first temples of Jashin, Immortals who had been born there centuries ago would wander the borders and save the infants who were left there to die. Jashin was always looked upon as a Kami who could shape-shift; to Jashinists the most common form for Jashin was an albino was long white hair and pink eyes wearing a robe of white silk. Jashinists in the Winter Lands would speak of a great Kitsune, who would walk the lands without fear of them or the cold. Some claimed the Yokai was Jashin himself searching for the next vessel but when word came to the Winter Lands of the Kitsune's death Jashinists everywhere began to pray. Some even carving deep holes into themselves hoping the spirit of the Yokai would find them a worthy vessel.

"It was one of the first locations of Jashinism." Hidan said coldly.

Kakuzu tilted his head, he had never heard of such a religion so far North.

"Jashinists who had lived there for as long as I can remember would walk the forests searching for the infants that heathens had fucking cast into the snow to die." Hidan growled.

"I was raised there for 24 fucking years; Jashin was once there among the icy tundra, He took the form of a large Kitsune."

From within Naruto the Kyuubi was standing on all fours, his eyes narrowed at the mentioning of the Winter Lands. To hear Hidan speak of a white Kitsune made his heart beat faster, Kyuubi listened silently as his tails frantically waved.

"Outside of the Winter Lands the heathens called Him by a different name; the earthly form He took was called the Yuuki No Kitsune. We called Him Kami-Sama." Hidan said; Kyuubi's eyes widened before he fell silent.

Kakuzu silently nodded sensing Hidan's displeasure about having to dig up the past, but he could also sense something coming from the blonde. Within the blonde the Kyuubi had found himself in mourning once again, to even hear the name Yuuki No Kitsune had brought the Kyuubi No Kitsune into a tempest of sorrowful howls and whimpers. It had only been 12 years since the death of his Mate but the scars still ran deep within the Kyuubi's heart, as he blinked back tears he could remember seeing his Mate dead on the ground. Yuuki's white fur had been smeared with blood and toxic venom, his throat was torn out in ribbons as if to ward off other Yokai. From the fang marks all over Yuuki's torso and back the Kyuubi immediately turned to Konohagakure, it was the only village at the time known for canine and serpent familiars. Ever since finding his Mate dead the Kyuubi had vowed to destroy Konoha, being sealed within Naruto was only a minor setback in his quest. What no one knew was that the blonde had woken up long enough to hear of the Yuuki No Kitsune before seeing Kyuubi's last sights of his Mate; tears welled up in the blonde's eyes before he murmured.

"They were Mated…"

Hidan tilted his head and raised a brow in confusion.

"What was that gaki, I thought you took a fucking nap." Hidan said lowly, he hadn't heard of the Yuuki No Kitsune taking up a Mate before.

"The Yuuki No Kitsune had Mated with Kyuubi." Naruto said; his voice full of sorrow.

"Konoha was the nearest village to where the Yuuki No Kitsune was found…"

Hidan and Kakuzu exchanged glances before falling silent, neither of them knew that the Yuuki was found killed outside of the Winter Lands or that the Yokai had Mated with the Bijuu within the blonde. It was indeed a painful reminder for the Kyuubi but the more he listened the more he couldn't help but want to bond with the albino, Hidan had saved his container once before and it had stuck within the Kitsune's mind ever since. It had been different than his protection with Yuuki, but Hidan had protected the blonde then and now had taken him in.

"So the Kyuubi's attack wasn't as random as they said it was." Kakuzu commented; he looked at the blonde whose expression had grown even darker.

"No, it wasn't…And yet, they kept the skeleton of the Yuuki No Kitsune as a trophy." The blonde growled, his blue eyes slowly bleeding to red.

The Kyuubi had heard more than enough to be furious at that point, he roared at the sealed door willing it to break. Naruto stood before the furious beast with more fear and concern than ever, he had never seen the Bijuu more enraged in his life. The Kyuubi's fur went from calm orange to a blood red in his rage; his fur bristled out from the nape of his neck to every tail end as it snarled. Naruto with a panicked and shaking hand foolishly gripped the top of the seal, when he did the Kyuubi howled in fury and charged making the blonde tear the seal in half. When he did the Kyuubi slammed into the weakened doors as Naruto reached for a kunai and put it to his throat, the Kyuubi roared at the bluff.

'_**You don't have the guts! Move!**_' The Kyuubi snarled.

Naruto stood his ground and glared at the Bijuu, his own eyes bleeding into a furious red.

'_I have had it with people telling me what the fuck I can and won't do!_' Naruto snarled back, the kunai digging into his throat.

The Kyuubi reached for the door to try and stop the blonde before the blood coated kunai was thrown into the Kyuubi's paw. The Kyuubi roared in anger before he looked into the eyes of the blonde and saw a reflection of his own pain and anger, the blonde had been cast out since birth and now most likely presumed dead by his own village. With a growl the Kyuubi tore out the kunai and huffed at the blonde in what was more stubborn anger than rage, he wanted out and to take his revenge upon Konoha for taking away the only person the Kyuubi had loved. Naruto had proven to be rather stubborn himself and took up another kunai to his throat; the Kyuubi let his fur fall flat as he sat down. His nine tails falling around him much like limp limbs, he knew that the blonde was one to bluff but wouldn't settle for less than what he was owed.

'_**What do you want, pup?**_' The Kyuubi growled under his breath, he was tired of being locked in the cage.

Naruto couldn't help but sigh and drop the kunai from his throat; the Kyuubi gave a low croon as a tail slowly slithered out from the cage to carefully heal the wound. The Kyuubi may have been called heartless but over the years within Naruto it had to learn to be patient with the young blonde. Naruto had no one in the village to give him comfort and to give him support when he needed it. Most of it was Kyuubi's fault, being the demon sealed within the boy when he was a baby. It was one of the greatest regrets the Kyuubi would have that he would never admit out loud. Taking Naruto's family from him and forcing him to be an outcast, it wasn't the fate and child should have.

'_I want to become stronger…I want to becoming stronger than __**him**__._' Naruto said in a harsh whisper.

The Kyuubi didn't need to know who the blonde was talking about. Uchiha Sasuke had crossed the Kyuubi in trying to kill Naruto. Little did the little warrior know that he had also made an enemy out of Naruto. The Kyuubi really didn't know who was worse in the situation considering that many would say that between the Kyuubi and Naruto they were one in same. It was a foolish statement made by vengeful Shinobi whom had lost family when Kyuubi had attacked. The civilians simply went along with it out of fear, they didn't care to see that the young Naruto was nothing more than a jail for the Kyuubi. Someone who would spend their entire life keeping the great Kitsune within his own soul to keep them all safe. But now the Kyuubi could see that Naruto didn't care for the village, or for those he had left behind. The further away that they got from Konoha the colder Naruto seemed to grow. There was little doubt that Naruto would train from that point on to become stronger than Sasuke and display his body in whatever way Naruto saw fit.

'_**You want power, but how far will you go to gain it, I wonder.**_' The Kyuubi mused out loud.

Naruto's eyes locked back onto his own before Naruto grabbed his headband and torn it from his forehead. With a pensive expression Naruto threw it to the ground and brought his heel down on it as hard as he could. To the Kyuubi's surprise that wasn't enough to break it, that the blonde has even attempted to do so was beyond the great fox. Uzumaki Naruto's loyalties to the hidden leaf village were said to be unshakeable after all. Naruto picked up the headband and kunai slowly and looked at them with a somber expression, he knew that once he had done this that there was no going back.

'_I will become stronger…If I have to forsaken Konoha…and Even if I have to become you, as much as human can.´ Naruto said before he forcefully slashed the headband down the center._

_The Kyuubi looked at Naruto before he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled it. The Kyuubi no Kitsune had never been jailed within a defected ninja before, though he had a feeling that he had to do something for the kit who's life he had been a part of for so long. Naruto glared at the Kyuubi with all of the silent rage a mere child could hold before the great Kitsune once again looked into the child's eyes and inhaled sharply. There was determination and truth to the kit's words that the Kyuubi could not refute or deny. Closing his eyes the Kyuubi had decided he would accept his fate and mark his jailor in a way that would symbolize just who Naruto was and who's protection Naruto had. This mark would be a black tattoo of what looked like a dark flame. But in reality would be the image of a fox's head at the back of Naruto's hand with nine tails wildly splayed and curling around the boy's left arm in a tribal pattern that ended at the boy's chest and back. _

'_**Then allow me to mark you in my own way child…So the world will know just whom they have crossed.**_' The Kyuubi said.

With a nod from Naruto the Kyuubi's cage and its seal had vanished before Naruto's eyes and the Kyuubi had become nothing but a blood red mist. Naruto could help but watch as the mist circled him before it completely covered his left arm and began to heat up and dark into a hissing black ink before it shot under Naruto's very skin like a raging fire. The pain brought Naruto to jerk himself awake and off Hidan's back outside of his mindscape; startling the two missing Shinobi before the blonde let out an ear piercing scream. Blood seeped from Naruto's left arm before the blonde violently ripped away the orange jacket, his eyes grew wide as the ink in his mindscape manifested into the mark he had seen in the Kyuubi's mind in the real world. The Kyuubi's face formed on the back of his hand with a dark snarl, all nine tails separated and curled around his arm like fire, the nine tips coming to stop on the back of his shoulder and over his left collar bone. The entire arm gave off steam at a rapid pace as the ink hissed with an extreme heat before it glowed a bright red and sizzling to burn the mark into Naruto's flesh.

"What the hell is going Hidan?" Kakuzu yelled ready to run to the blonde before Hidan stopped him.

The mark on Naruto's arm was slowly cooling to a rich and vibrant red against Naruto's tanned skin. The mark looked as though it was a crimson red outlined with black when it had finally cooled. Naruto's body trembled as the boy panted and tried to stand, his left arm was tender and it burned to stretch the raw mark. To his surprise however, Naruto could feel the Kyuubi's healing Chakra flow around the mark as he slowly got to his feet. Hidan walked up to the blonde and helped him up before noticing that Naruto's headband was slashed straight through, almost like magic. However the telltale steam rising from the headband told Hidan that there was more happening that Hidan and Kakuzu could not see.

"I don't fucking know." Hidan growled watching Naruto shakily getting to his feet.

Before the eyes of the two missing Shinobi, Naruto's hair seemed to lengthen as his finger nails grew out to be claws. The boy's whisker marks darkened as his eyes took on a deep red with cat-like pupils. Naruto's eyes looked as though he was wearing thick black eyeliner, curving upwards at the outside and downwards on the inside. When Naruto stood he winced in pain, showing long canines as his hair fell around his shoulders. Blonde hair gave way to a deep red garnet with a shine of gold in a cascade of wild spikes. The boy's posture swayed before he stood tall, for a twelve year old. When Naruto's eyes locked with Hidan the changes seemed to cement themselves with a pulse of dark red Chakra before vanishing leaving Naruto just as Hidan had found him in the river. Soundlessly Hidan ran to stop Naruto before the boy hit the ground and once again held the boy close to him, his expression pensive as he turned to Kakuzu. The miser of the Akatsuki grunted and followed the immortal as he continued to carry the now unconscious blonde, wondering what had just happened before their very eyes.


	4. The Mark of Snow, a Branded Raven

In a camp little more than 36 miles from the opening of the Akatsuki's base stood a man with softly tanned skin and lines under his eyes, he glared at the forest before him. His onyx eyes trained to spot the slightest amount of movement as he pushed down the collar of his cloak, with a glare he rubbed at the light blue markings that had become faintly visible that morning. From a distance it looked like a faint snowflake, but if one were to look closer they would find an elegant fox paw with four tails bristled out and connected at the ends of the fur half way up to the tip. He had not seen that markings since he was a little boy and was curious enough to touch the skull of an enormous Yokai skeleton in the museum of Konohagakure, his parents were furious when they learned that he had touched the bones. The mark appeared only moments after he had touched the skull, as it grew brighter against his skin he grew colder against the village and his own brother. The only person he wasn't completely cold to had been a rather young boy with spiked blonde hair and whisker marks on his cheeks. The boy was a mute even around him but once in a great while the boy would thank him for being around the little blonde. Back then he didn't know what the boy was, but there was something about the mark that made the raven seek out the blonde even when his little brother wanted his affection.

'_I wonder if the child survived, perhaps he is… No impossible._' The man thought as his eyes narrowed.

Pulling up the collar of his cloak the man's thoughts wandered to the Jinnchuriki of the Kyuubi No Kitsune, the container had both the whiskers marks and blonde hair that the little boy had. Though the name escaped the raven he remembered the Jinnchuriki trying to protect his younger brother, but he was shoved aside by the younger raven. There was pain but also a distant longing in the blonde's eyes at that moment that made the man stop. The mark on his shoulder tingled under his skin whenever he thought about the Kyuubi; his mark was his greatest kept secret from the Akatsuki merely for personal reasons. If the organization knew what it meant he would most likely die without a single second thought, dying was the last thing that the man wanted to do. A light breeze picked up blowing the man's raven locks to the side; it also carried an interesting scent. The scent was akin to fire and summer roses, it was warm and inviting but he dare not follow it. The stronger the scent got the more he could sense three different Chakra signatures, two were very familiar but the other felt as though it was in a state of chaos. The man's eyes closed before they reopened to show a set of crimson eyes donned with three commas around his pupils, as he scanned the forest Hidan had crashed through the brush holding a body with spiked blonde hair.

"Itachi you son of a bitch!" Hidan yelled; he seemed surprised to see the raven camping not too far from camp.

With a faint glare Itachi let down his guard and his deadly eyes letting them fade to onyx once more, he wasn't expecting the loud-mouthed masochist to burst out from the brush. With a twinge of cold running from his shoulder he masked it by pretending to work at a knot in his shoulder. His eyes glanced to the mass of blonde hair in Hidan's arm as Kakuzu soon joined the trio. With a tilt of his head he noticed dried blood on the person's arm and assumed that the two took a hostage.

"A prisoner, Hidan?" Itachi asked, his cold voice chilling the immortal before he glared.

"Fuck no you prick!" Hidan growled holding the body closer to him as if to protect it.

Itachi looked to Kakuzu who could only offer a faint shrug; there were very few people who would try to push Hidan for information. With a nod in return Itachi turned to find something to clean the blood from the blonde that Hidan had brought with him when he paused, the mark on his shoulder grew ice cold. Suppressing the shudder from the immediate cold sensation running down his spine made him glance over his shoulder. Hidan gave the raven a glare as he set down the comatose blonde, when his head touched the ground his face turned to Itachi's view making the raven glare.

"Where did you find the Kyuubi?" Itachi said in a cold tone.

Kakuzu offered Hidan two feet of room as the albino's eye twitched faintly.

"The gaki is under my protection asshole." Hidan glared sitting on a nearby rock.

Itachi's eyes narrowed at the lack of information as he let his eyes bleed back to his Sharingan, his question demanded answers the albino wasn't going to give. Kakuzu pinched the bridge of his nose before he glanced at Naruto and found a towel to roll up and set under the boy's head. Hidan gave a small growl before shooting a glare at Kakuzu who shrugged and sat down before beginning to prepare a fire to boil some water. Itachi and Hidan continued their odd staring contest until Hidan seemed to begin to crack under the Uchiha's glare and huffed with a low growl. Itachi raised a brow before noticing the slash on Naruto's headband, it was something that seemed to bring Itachi's inquiry of Hidan to a sudden stop. The last time that Itachi had seen the blonde there was not a mark on the headband that proudly screamed that Naruto was a Shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato. Thoughts went through Itachi's mind about what had happened between the last time he had seen Naruto and the present. To his surprise that last time Itachi could recall seeing Naruto was when Sasuke had shoved the blonde aside in order to get to the elder Uchiha. There must've been something that had shaken the blonde's iron-clad loyalty to Konoha, the first thing that had popped into Itachi's mind was the Kyuubi.

"I fished him out of the river somewhere between Konoha and Oto." Hidan said, shaking Itachi from his thoughts.

It was with that statement that something clicked, he had heard a rumor that someone had been a flight risk for leaving Konoha, though he had a feeling it was his foolish little brother. Sasuke was desperate for power, hungry enough for it to run after the first powerful person to throw him a bone. It made Itachi bow his head slightly, it made him sick to think that his little brother had gone to Orochimaru for power. There was one thing that Orochimaru had plenty of, but would rarely share without a price; and that was power. Itachi had killed the off his own Clan to prevent a coup d'état against the Sandaime Hokage, but also to keep Orochimaru's hands off the Sharingan. It was no secret that Orochimaru desired to collect every Jutsu and every bloodline trait that he could get his hands on.

"So then my foolish little brother has abandoned Konoha to pursue a power to try and kill me." Itachi murmured.

Hidan scowled and looked to Naruto, his lavender eyes narrowed upon to realization that the younger Uchiha had something to do with him finding Naruto in the river. There was a scar that seemed to be from a wound from something going through his entire front. With a hum Hidan looked to Naruto before taking notice that the young boy was looking feverishly warm, frowning Hidan got up and pressed his hand to Naruto's forehead before hissing. The blonde was burning up, the tattoo on his left arm was still steaming faintly and shifting as if it was burning itself. Raising the blonde's arm brought the marking to Itachi's line of sight, upon seeing the mark it made his own marking flare to life with a crisp chill running down his spine.

"If he is feverish, perhaps some water from the stream nearby would serve to cool his off." Itachi suggested with a faint shiver in his voice.

The Uchiha had hoped that the waver in his voice did not go noticed by his companions. Hidan stood up and grabbed the bucket Itachi held out to him swiftly and ran off to find the stream. It had been Kakuzu, who had finished building a fire, to now check on Naruto. With a faint grumble Kakuzu had reached into his sleeve and popped something into his mouth, Itachi assumed in was solider pill to keep the older man going for so long. Another chill ripped through Itachi making him move his hand to his shoulder to try and prevent the next wave of ice to run through his veins. It had been months since the mark on his shoulder had been so active, the last time it had been active was when Itachi had gone to try to collect the Kyuubi. It was becoming troublesome to try and think of the Kyuubi no Kitsune without having the mark become active with a chilled wave throughout his being.

"The boy will live, though there is no telling what the Kyuubi has done to him… This mark is similar to a tattoo yet it seems too hot to be a mere mark." Kakuzu mused before looking over his shoulder at the older Uchiha.

Itachi rubbed his own shoulder lightly, his own mark wasn't so pronounced. No, Naruto's marking screamed just who he was and what was locked inside of him; it was like a bright warning to any whom knew its meaning. Fortunately there weren't many who would realize that the marking young Naruto wore was a symbol of a demon resigned to its fate. Very few Yokai would become resigned to being forced to live within a human vessel or Jinnchuriki, but the power of such submission would be stronger than any seal. The Kyuubi must've found a purpose within young Naruto or realized that even though it was sentenced to dwell within Naruto it was still alive. With a deep sigh Itachi walked up to the blonde and knelt next to Kakuzu, the bounty hunter blinked before feeling the difference in body temperature between himself and Itachi. The raven lightly ran his hand over the marking covering Naruto's left arm before jolting his hand back when the heat of the mark reached his chilled one.

Kakuzu wasn't one to be so easily fooled but there was something that the Uchiha was hiding, in order to be sure he would need to coax the information from the raven haired man before him. There was something that just wasn't making very much sense with the man, the usually calm Uchiha seemed to be bothered by something that was merely affecting him while leaving the other members of the Akatsuki completely unaware. It was beginning to appear to Kakuzu that it had more to do with the Kyuubi and the strange Yuuki No Kitsune than even the Jinnchuriki of the Kyuubi knew. Things weren't adding up in the mind of the man whom didn't like to waste anything; be it time or money. Taking in a deep breath Kakuzu prepared himself for something that he would've preferred to have done with more privacy and carefully cast a Genjutsu, one that would leave Hidan stuck in the forest for a long enough time to finish his task.

"Kakuzu…" A cold voice toned from behind him, "Is there a reason why Hidan shouldn't leave the forest?"

Kakuzu rose and looked at Itachi taking careful steps around the blonde, slowly putting the resting blonde between himself and the Uchiha whom had activated his Sharingan. Kakuzu cursed knowing it wasn't on a whim, the Uchiha was getting ready for something.

"What do you know of a best called the Yuuki no Kitsune?" Kakuzu asked bluntly, he wasn't going to waste time with petty dances and questions.

Itachi seemed to stiffen under the question, the truth was there really wasn't anything that Itachi _didn't_ know about the beast, but it wasn't something that he could simply tell Kakuzu with Hidan wandering about or Naruto.

"It was a demon killed 12 years ago, just days before the Kyuubi attacked, I was young at the time." Itachi said calmly. Kakuzu seemed to relax for a moment.

"Did anyone know why such a demon would be in Fire Country? They say it was meant to stay in the Northern Lands."

Itachi inwardly cursed, he may have been 21 and a prodigy but he didn't know just how old Kakuzu was; the older man may have been over 50 for all the Uchiha knew. But that meant that Kakuzu would have the upper hand until he grew tired; that thought died in his mind when he realized something important. Kakuzu tended to kill off all of his partners; the same with Hidan, there was a reason why Leader had paired them up and why they hadn't killed each other just yet.

"I don't know, the plaque at Konoha's museum simply said it was a great demon for the North." Itachi said once more.

"I know you could just show me what had happened that day…Unless you've got something to hide." Kakuzu answer back smoothly, the slight glare from the Uchiha told Kakuzu that the younger man did have something to hide.

Itachi would have to think and quickly, there was no telling just how long Hidan would be confused by the Genjutsu and just how happy he would be to find that it was Kakuzu who had put it up. Knowing those two like Itachi did, Kakuzu would keep a secret where as Hidan might go for the throat knowing just what it was exactly that Itachi had done. It was something that Hidan would no doubt see as a grave crime since Itachi was by no means religious. Turning to glare at Kakuzu, the older man found that he couldn't move before Itachi's eyes locked onto his own; forcing him from his body as Itachi drug the man into a memory.

~_12 years ago~_

In his forced trance Kakuzu was taken back into Itachi's memories of when he was 9 years old, just out of the academy. The young Itachi was standing in front of the museum of Konoha's history; they had added a new piece not too long ago. As Itachi walked towards the museum Kakuzu found himself not having to stay in a single spot, he decided to follow the young Uchiha to see where he was going. At the front door was a sign making note of the newest attraction, Kakuzu wasn't interested in the sign and walked in to find the center of the museum taken up by the skeleton of a large Kitsune with four tails set up to flare around the body. Kakuzu's eyes widened as he stared at the mighty form of the Kitsune that he now knew was mated to the Kyuubi No Kitsune, it was what had caught the young raven's eye as he walked up to it. The way that the skeleton was posed was to make it seem as if the skeleton was snarling and ready to pounce upon the next person who walked through the door.

"Hello Itachi, come to see the newest attraction?" A man asked the young Itachi.

The Uchiha nodded quietly walking to the center of the room; the form was the most intimidating thing that Itachi had seen. Kakuzu could see the interest in the raven's eyes as he walked up to the skull of the beast; it was amazing how white the bones were even though it was placed there days before the grand unveiling of it. The feelings around the bones were of gloom and a chill that even Kakuzu could feel, however Itachi didn't seem to be bothered by it as much as everyone else. Since he could not be seen Kakuzu decided to remain close to the young Uchiha but also looking around when something caught his eye, one of them was an old painting of the Kyuubi No Kitsune in a humanoid form. The date wasn't placed but the painting was of a rather feminine male with lightly tanned skin, his ruby eyes were relaxed as his bangs framed his face. His kimono was rather regal, a vibrant red color trimmed in a light amber tone. His obi was a rather bright yet soft gold as his nine tails twisted and turned around him.

"Stop, no one must touch the bones!" Someone yelled.

Kakuzu jumped then turned to see Itachi's hand resting on the skull of the Yokai, his face seem frightened as the aura of despair spread through the museum. Kakuzu ran to try and get the child away from the bones, however to his shock he had merely phased through the memory as if he was a ghost. With wide eyes he watched as Itachi's hair had blown back as if the creature had breathed on the child, his body shivered as his eyes flashed a rose pink while his hair flashed silver. The young boy paled and fallen to his knees as he trembled in fear before upon his left shoulder the symbolic snowflake had formed. Within mere seconds of watching that scene Kakuzu found him being pulled from the memory as his trance ended, Itachi glared darkly at Kakuzu when he came to.

Itachi was both annoyed and angry at having to show his past to someone else, with a deep sigh the raven walked up to the blonde and knelt down. His eyes once again flashed a vibrant rose before he ran his hand through the blonde's hair before he backed away. Kakuzu stared at the Uchiha before he let himself relax enough to come to his conclusion.

"You didn't catch the Kyuubi on purpose, did you?" Kakuzu asked.

Itachi turned to the bounty hunter with a glare, it was true though. Itachi had no control of himself to do anything but keep his hands off the blonde, so he focused more on his little brother. Something inside of him always stopped him from harming the blonde, there was more to him then Itachi knew but there was more to endure. Within his mind he knew what was happening, however he was powerless to stop it as a voice that wasn't his own crept from his lips in a cold yet soft whisper.

"**To think I could raise a hand against the Kyuubi is foolish, boy.**" The voice sounded.

Kakuzu knew that the longer Itachi stayed near the blonde, the more trouble he and the immortal would cause.


	5. Shadows of The Past, The Voice of God

Within the depths of Naruto's soul he found himself standing in what looked like a vast black void. He could hear the muffled voices of the older men as they tried to figure out what was wrong with him. Ever since Hidan had returned from getting water he was keen to one thing, Itachi's prodding for information leading up to the current time. It was unusual for the Uchiha to be asking so many questions, it was like he _had _to know for his own sake. Naruto felt his body pulse whenever the Uchiha seemed to touch him; it sent a feeling of fear and anxiety through him. If he could he would've ran off but his body felt sluggish and weak. Within his now empty mindscape Naruto rubbed his left arm with a small pout, the Kyuubi's mark flared to life the instant he did. With a pulse of red Chakra the black void now turned into something akin to a fox den, there was light coming from an opening showing a vast forest and meadow. A warm puff of breath behind him had alerted him to the great nine tailed Kitsune behind him. Turning around Naruto saw that the Kyuubi looked relaxed, his nine tails resting around him as if he was finally content. The great fox gave a grin, showing all of his fangs before Naruto squinted his eyes then looked at his marked arm with a surprised expression.

'_**You seem to be surprised, Kit.**_' The Kyuubi teased as it sat up and stretched out for the first time in 12 years.

Naruto couldn't help but run his other hand over his left arm, admiring the mark as though it were a work of art upon his skin. The Kyuubi huffed in a soft chuckle, the mark that Naruto now bored was that of a Marked Vessel. A Marked Vessel was different than a Jinnchuriki, where in a Jinnchuriki a Bijuu was forced to be contain; in a Mark Vessel a Bijuu accepted and acknowledged its fate. Those who were Marked Vessel only needed to call upon their tenant to be aided in battle or to summon them to be messengers and teachers. Not at Jinnchuriki were able to be Marked Vessels however, some like the Ichibi were unstable due to improper sealing or tampering with their mental state. Shukaku would never be able to accept its fate fully, though it did offer its Jinnchuriki an automatic and nearly indestructible defense of sand so long as it was also kept with the Jinnchuriki.

'_So…What is this mark, and what is this place?'_ Naruto asked as he sat down, the thick mossy ground giving him padding.

'_**Acceptance…The mark you bear is my acceptance of our fates to be joined until we die or I am released in a way that will not kill you.**_' The Kyuubi stated before it used a paw to make a small circle, '_**This is our joined mindscape, an ideal place for us both.**_'

Naruto couldn't help but wince lightly before tilting his head to the side with a small smile that made the Kyuubi raise a brow.

'_So this means we're alright, I mean…We're going to be alright being stuck with each other?_' Naruto asked, the sincerity in his voice was shocking.

The Kyuubi could only nod and begin to tell Naruto the benefits of being a Marked Vessel, the blonde could only listen with a warm smile on his face. Something the Kyuubi could be proud to say that he put on the face of his kit. The first was that all of the Kyuubi's Chakra could be drawn into Naruto from the tattoo on his left arm. Not only was the tattoo a conduit for the Kyuubi's Chakra is acted like a seal all its own; in a sense it absorbed the Yondaime's seal and merely converted it into a willing seal using bits and pieces of the original. If Naruto ever began to manifest the Fox Cloak and any tails the seal would ensure that Naruto would keep his sanity. The Kyuubi had realized in the battle with Sasuke it did little go for Naruto to act like a mini Kyuubi if the blonde forgot that he wasn't immortal like the Kyuubi itself. This also had solved the problem with the Fox Cloak and the Kyuubi's advanced healing stealing years from Naruto's life, though the Bijuu's chakra was poisonous to a Jinnchuriki if it was filtered through a tattoo like Naruto's it was more like highly charged Chakra that would leave him fatigued after battle or training rather than sip at his life force. Furthermore, Naruto couldn't help but chuckle seeing the Kyuubi go into a so called Sensei-Mode, being a Marked Vessel added to Naruto's life as well as increase the use of his senses and even give him something akin to a sixth-sense. It wouldn't do much in the beginning but it would alert him to attacks from his blind spots, over time it would alert him to enemies hiding miles ahead or behind him no matter how well hidden they were.

'_So in a way…I have your strengths yet I have my own weaknesses?_' Naruto asked after taking it all in.

The Kyuubi nodded and laid back down, resting it's head on top of its front paws. Anyone who thought Naruto was stupid was a fool, the people in Konoha never gave the blonde the time of day to see that he could be rather smart when he needed to be. Much like certain Shinobi who would rather watch clouds or read perverted books, Naruto wasn't as smart as they were; but he would have his moments of greatness. It was those moments that Naruto truly acted like a little kit stuck between a rock and a set of teeth bigger than his.

Outside of Naruto's mindscape, Hidan was enduring the Uchiha's full interrogation as Kakuzu tended to Naruto's fever. Though Kakuzu didn't care much for the blonde child, he was still an important part of Akatsuki's plans. The miser had also gained enough information from Itachi to know that the Yuuki no Kitsune had done something to the raven and wouldn't tolerate anyone taking the Kyuubi's Jinnchuriki from it. Even though it wasn't spoken, the trio had a thought of Konohagakure sending a search party or two out the find the blonde. For the village to lose the Kyuubi was to lose an overwhelming weapon, both political and warring. If the Kyuubi was no longer in Konoha it would be seen as an easier target and prone to draw more old enemies, the Kyuubi was just a tool to ward them away. After an hour and a half of questioning Hidan bluntly told off the raven and took the rag from Kakuzu to wipe the blonde's cooling forehead.

"As far as the hole in his chest, the fucking gaki could've gotten it before his little swim." Hidan's final snap was.

That comment was what got Itachi thinking more about the details Hidan _didn't_ have over what he did have.

"For all we know someone tried to kill him." Kakuzu pitched in, his silence kept long enough.

That was the comment that put it all together for Itachi, he knew who had done the damage and why. He had hoped that the past would remain in the past but as he had suspected, Uchiha Sasuke threw away reason for power. Though Itachi berated the younger Uchiha of being weak the young raven was weaker than Itachi thought. There were a few rumors about the Konoha villagers that even though Sasuke was an unregistered Nukenin; he had tried to kill the blonde on several occasions. The most cowardly was when the Uchiha had tried to strangle the blonde in his sleep; the stories and other methods had varied but to manipulate the blonde was sickening. Sasuke had carefully pushed the blonde towards him by seeming to hate him but accept him, becoming rivals was only a phase in Sasuke's quest for power. What the blonde must've felt when that hole was put in his chest, to be kicked to an apparent death and to vanish from memory. The thoughts brought a violent chill down Itachi's spine, it was no surprise at how cold he had become but he didn't enjoy it. The seal on his shoulder was a curse as much as a blessing, the demon within him kept him calm when he would've lashed out. The creature had also warned him of the world around him; he could often catch glimpses of white wisps around him before feeling hostile Chakra. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a wisp flowing behind the camp, the feeling wasn't hostile and seemed to want to go unseen. When the watcher stopped Itachi took the chance to vanish before reappearing holding a young girl was short blue hair and white eyes, she struggled before gasping seeing Naruto on the ground.

"Naruto-Kun?" The girl stammered; it was as if she thought him to be dead.

Hidan rose and glared.

"Who the fuck are you bitch?" Hidan growled as the girl paled even more.

Kakuzu also rose and glared to the intruder before tentacles seemed to come from his body and bind her hands in front of her with her legs tied together, her legs able to bend at the knees only. Itachi let Kakuzu keep her still while he searched her for a tracker or form of communication; with a glare he found a tracker in the sleeve of her coat. The girl looked ready to faint as the three looked her over; she was definitely a Konoha Shinobi by how she addressed Naruto.

"What did you do to him?" She asked, her voice trembling as she spoke.

"We did nothing to him." Itachi answered; his tone cold yet slightly offended.

Hidan raised an eyebrow at this but decided to ignore it as he sat, Naruto's head placed in his lap to watch over him. The girl was as scared of the Nukenin as she was worried about the unconscious blonde. After being push to her knees she gave a yelp, she wasn't sure what the trio wanted with her but she feared the worst. Of two things that Itachi was certain of, it was that the girl had no intention of being caught nor did she know the tracker was on her. Her expression was one of guilt at the sight of the blonde; she didn't seem to be happy or excited to see him. She tested the bonds before giving a whimper; the young girl had wanted nothing to do with the group and thought that she could sneak by. She wasn't wearing her headband which gave the impression of not wanting her home village to be known, why she didn't want that was the main question and Itachi demanded answers immediately.

"Who are you girl?" He said in a gruff and cold tone.

The girl gulped slightly seeing the kunai in his hand.

"Hyuuga, Hinata Hyuuga." She said quietly, Itachi's eyes narrowed.

Why was a Hyuuga so far from the compounds in Konoha, most of them rarely left the village unless they were on a mission. The girl was hiding more than she was willing to admit, now knowing she was a Hyuuga would mean it was a good thing she was bound and unable to move. The Byakuugan was a dangerous weapon to face; it allowed the user to view every main Chakra point an enemy Shinobi had. It also gave the user nearly 360 degrees of view, save for a blind spot unique to each user. At the back of their head was the most common, the rarest was the spot behind their jaw. The one thing that stood out to the Uchiha was the girl's surprise at Naruto's headband and arm. They both spoke in volumes about the blonde even though he was unconscious, Hidan glared to the Hyuuga before his hand moved to grab his scythe.

"What are you staring at bitch?" Hidan growled; he was touchy about the blonde.

Hinata gulped as the albino marched up to her, his eyes ablaze with malice.

"Do you know who and what fucked up my gaki?" He snarled, slapping her across the cheek.

Hinata gave a small yelp of pain before biting her lip; she shook with an attempt to hide her fear. The mask was too easy to break as she whimpered; the girl didn't want to say who she thought had done it. Her will to protect the offender was strong but her endurance wouldn't last as long, she hung her head and looked at the ground in shame. She had never thought that the blonde would end up where he was now, she had a soft spot for him but in her heart he was just a demon. His cheerful mask wasn't as successful with her as it had been with everyone else; he still longed to bring Konoha to ruins. It was with a heavy heart that she cast away all feelings for him when she grew to know Uchiha Sasuke. His emotions were clouded by hate but he was always gentle with her, as if she were a glass doll. She longed to know the young raven more but had always seen him around Naruto. In secret the two had met, to her surprise Sasuke not only admitted his bisexuality but had purposely told her Uzumaki Naruto's preference to men. Hinata was shocked but swore not to tell anyone else about the two, he didn't want to see the blonde persecuted any more than he already had. It was a dark and shaded relationship the two were beginning to form; Sasuke didn't want to let anyone know until he had gotten out of Konoha. Hinata had asked on numerous occasions what had tied him to Konoha besides her, his answer was little more than a shrug. The Hyuuga and the Uchiha were both quiet, though opposites when speaking they were at peace.

'_Forgive me, Sasuke-Kun._' Hinata thought before uttering a name.

"Uchiha…Sasuke…" She whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Itachi's eyes widened a fraction before narrowing; Hidan's reaction was merely an outburst.

"Where the fuck is that little bitch?!" Hidan snarled; a kunai against Hinata's throat, "Looks like you were right about your little bitch brother Itachi."

The Hyuuga appeared ready to pass out; her eyes were wide with fear as Itachi walked to Naruto's body. Itachi gave a faint sigh before he sat down next to the blonde, a hand running through his hair lightly. Hinata bit her lip as tried to move, she didn't want to be there anymore. She had originally left the village to join Sasuke in Otogakure; she wasn't supposed to be caught between the two areas. There was a rustle of leaves in the bushes before Kakuzu returned, a struggling young boy who got Hidan's attention. Itachi's eyes narrowed even further seeing the furious face on the young raven in Kakuzu's grasp. Sasuke gave a growl seeing Itachi before his eyes widened seeing Naruto, he seemed to try and reason with the fact that Naruto was still alive and that he was in the apparent care of the three Akatsuki members. The Hyuuga turned away in fear as the tension built in the air, Kakuzu tried to bind the young Uchiha only to have the boy kick off of his body towards Itachi. The only thing Sasuke didn't expect was to be slammed to the ground by Hidan's scythe.

"So you're the bitch who got my gaki into this fucking mess." Hidan snarled.

Sasuke glared.

"Who are you, his body guard or his fuck-buddy?" Sasuke retorted, Hidan ground his scythe into the boy's back.

"Watch your fucking mouth or I'll find something to fill it you little slut." Hidan growled darkly.

Itachi's eyes closed for the moment as Hidan resumed his verbal assault on the young Uchiha. Kakuzu folded his arms over his chest as if to enjoy the show, the lax postures fuel Sasuke's anger. The Nukenin weren't taking him as a serious threat, but as he thought about it they didn't have to. They had Hinata; if they had her they had him. If he were to retaliate now it would put her in danger, the trio could easily snap the Hyuuga like a twig in her state. After an hour of being verbally tormented Sasuke's face was into the ground as Hidan stood on his head. The albino swore if the two met again there would be no mercy, the blonde was in his care and he would be damned if the Uchiha harmed him again. Itachi remained as lax as ever, it was not the Itachi that Sasuke knew and growled, when he was free of Hidan he once again charged the older Uchiha. Itachi opened an eye to see the young raven charging him and rose; he would have to deal with his younger brother once again. With a swift throw of a kunai Itachi was put on guard, however he wasn't the only target. The kunai had been aimed at the blonde carelessly making Itachi glare; the seal on his shoulder froze with anger at the action. Hidan noticed the shiver run through the older Uchiha and watched closely, Itachi didn't shiver easily.

'_What are you hiding, fucking Uchiha?_' Hidan growled in his mind wanting to know the secret.

Sasuke was not expecting Itachi to protect the unconscious blonde, the albino however seemed to be getting even more pissed off at him. Sasuke was hoping to keep Itachi's focus on more than himself so he could grab Hinata and vanish but the two watching him would make it more of a challenge. He knew full well that the albino was going to protect Naruto with his life but Itachi rarely protected anything but an objective, but was the blonde just an objective. With a desperate rush Sasuke ran at not Itachi, but at the blonde. The action surprised Itachi who had prepared to block a blow; Sasuke took the chance to drive a kunai into the side of blonde making him wake with a scream of pain. At that single scream of pain Sasuke froze, the air around him had become as if it were made of ice, Hidan's eyes widened in an immeasurable fury. The chilling feeling had not come from Hidan, but from Sasuke's own brother. Itachi's hair had slowly gained frosted silver tips, his eyes turned to a dark rose pink. Sasuke watched with wide eyes as his brother's lines changed from mere lines to deep blue markings under his eyes.

"_**You are a foolish whelp**_." The chilling voice called from Itachi's throat, his eyes narrowing.

Sasuke stood in a frozen state as a frosted wind whipped past him as if threatening to freeze him to the core, from behind him Hidan could only stare in fury at the sight before him. He knew the chilled feeling in the air all too well, however to see the Uchiha in such a state spat on his own moral pride. Itachi's skin seem to pale to a creamed tone as he walked to the young Uchiha and gripped him by the throat.

"_**Take the bitch; then run far away from here**_." The voice hissed as Hinata's bindings froze.

Sasuke had only been too eager to grab Hinata and run, he wanted to flee out of fear for his own life. He knew his attempt had brought something within Itachi to surface; it was something that no even he could best at his level. When the two had vanished from Kakuzu's senses he walked to the blonde to find his breath frozen in his throat, Itachi turned his head to the bounty hunter with crooning growl.

"_**Bring me warm water and a clean cloth.**_"

Kakuzu could do little but nod and retreat from the possessed raven, Hidan however grit his teeth and charged. Inches before reaching the Uchiha the air around Hidan turned violently cold, nearly freezing his heart with malice. With a growl Hidan fell to his knee as glared with malice, he refused to accept the sight before him as Itachi spoke once more. His voice a calm and ancient voice Hidan knew since his childhood.

"_**You dare to strike me, child of the Northern Lands?**_"


	6. Fanatic Hatred, Uncertain Futures

Hidan glared up at the possessed Uchiha with disgust, no heathen was to possess the spirit of the Yuuki. Yet before him was the voice of the great Kitsune, the silvery white tips had spread throughout the raven locks, washing them a snowy white. Fiery rose pink orbs stared into the lavender orbs of the albino as he backed away, even the lines on the Uchiha's face had turned to dark blue markings. Kakuzu could tell that Hidan was now half tempted to attack the Uchiha, he didn't think that Sasuke attacking the Jinnchuriki would elect such a violent reaction from the Yuuki's spirit. Behind Itachi the blonde stirred, his eyes opened part way as the tattoo flared to the life and the kunai was forced out of his body. The moment the blonde had woken from his state Itachi turned to look down at the wounded teen, when their eyes met Naruto's eyes widened before they turned to a ruby red. Hidan and Kakuzu watched silently as the two seemed to embody the Bijuu as a flash of the two great Yokai staring each other down appeared and vanished, Naruto gripped his side and whimpered as he slowly stood. Itachi's eyes narrowed with a rather possessive growl looking in the direction that Sasuke had fled, Naruto shuddered before he groaned and glared at the kunai knife. Though the kunai missed vital organs the shock to the blonde's body had jolted Naruto from his mindscape bringing him back to the real world to see the Yuuki possessed Uchiha; it was enough to cause the features from before to return as Naruto's tattoo flared to life again. Hidan watched with a glare, he still saw Naruto as his gaki, but even so the possessive nature of the Yuuki would be too much to contend with.

"**Hidan of the Rain**." Itachi spoke, Hidan growled as the voice of the Yuuki echoed through him.

"**I'm impressed you're still of the living**." Itachi continued turning to face the albino; Hidan however had venom on his tongue.

"Why the fuck didn't you choose one of your children?!" Hidan snarled; Itachi's eyes closed half-way.

The expression was of gentle amusement.

"**My soul was trapped within my bones. Even a whelp like you should've known better and tried to find me."** The demonic voice scolded the albino.

Kakuzu stood there as if he was frozen by the mere sight of Hidan being treated like a child by the Uchiha, though the raven was merely a vessel to something more important to Hidan than his own life. While Hidan and the Yuuki were talking, Naruto had slipped back into his mindscape as the Kyuubi took control with an emotional whirlwind. The Kyuubi had suffered through so much only to see that his Mate was standing before him in the same situation that he was in. Backing away the Kyuubi wanted to distance himself and Naruto from the Yuuki and Itachi, Itachi however moved forward. The two Yokai were both cautious of the other, not being together for 2 decades had buried their Bond deep within themselves. The Yuuki however remembered everything about his smaller Mate, he could remember the way the Kyuubi held himself and even how he loved his cheeks being rubbed against the Yuuki's. The Kyuubi tried to climb into the nearest tree even as the wound healed from the kunai almost finished healing. He wanted to hide his tears from the older Yokai and hide himself. Before the Kyuubi had even made it to the nearest tree trunk, he found himself himself within the Uchiha's embrace, the older man's face buried into the crook of the smaller male's neck.

"**Let me go…"** The Kyuubi whimpered, he didn't want to be so close to the raven.

Itachi's arms tightened around the smaller form as he crooned gently, Hidan glared trying to break the ice that held him down. The albino didn't know much about the Yuuki and Kyuubi's Bond but he knew enough about Itachi to still want his head, holding his gaki just made the urge greater.

"**Never again**." The demonic voice growled darkly, it made the small male shudder.

Within the two vessels was a battle of emotion and Will, both Yokai determined to find their Bond but wounded to the point of desperate avoidance. Around the two was a visible battle of silver and ruby Chakra as they tried to mesh like old lovers, their winds swirling and entwining but never interlocking as they once had. Kyuubi whimpered and tried to break free, he didn't want to be so close to Itachi or the Yuuki but something inside of him was trying to force him to stay and face the strange emotions. He felt sorrow and an undying attachment to the raven, it made his stomach churn and swirl as Itachi continued to croon to him. The Kyuubi was thankful for Naruto's willingness to give him control but this was too much for him to take, tears brimmed in the ruby eyes as Naruto regained enough control to kick away from Itachi. Naruto gripped his heart as he fell to his knees, his breath was heavy as his features once again returned to his own. Itachi stood there as the Yuuki slowly crept back into the seal on his shoulder, reaching for the blonde before he was fully awake himself. The ice around Hidan faded as he glared to the back of the raven and pushed him aside to hold Naruto close.

"Father…" Naruto whimpered before burying his face in the albino's chest.

Hidan looked down at the blonde before his eyes faintly softened, he was surprised that Naruto could even remember the old agreement the two had. Hidan had told Naruto to called him Father when he hung around Konoha before joining the Akatsuki, it quickly got his attention and let him know the blonde was there. It was hard not to when the blonde was always after his rare affections and visits, Hidan found it odd for the village to neglect such a child, With a sigh Hidan held the sobbing teen close to him glaring up at the Uchiha, Marked Vessel to the Yuuki or not the blonde was Hidan's. Itachi looked back at Hidan before he turned around to see Kakuzu merely standing there before he too snapped out his odd state, there was a silent vow not to speak of what happened at the camp. When Naruto calmed down he nestled into Hidan's lap as he sat down next to the fire, gripping his cloak as he did as a child. Kakuzu merely shrugged before settling down to count the money he had picked up before this whole fiasco started.

Itachi gave a sigh and had decided to meditate a ways away from Hidan and Naruto as a way to quell the tension between him and the immortal. This act was also to gather his thoughts on his predicament of holding the Yuuki so close to the Kyuubi's container. As Itachi closed his eyes he could feel the chill of the Yuuki's Chakra flowing through him, it was something that he was used to when entering his mindscape. In his mindscape Itachi found himself walking through a cold blizzard, the snow up to his calves as he walked to a large rock where the Yuuki sat. The Kitsune's fur flowed with the wind of the blizzard as its markings darkened when it spotted the raven. The blizzard stopped and calmed to a gentle snowfall as the Yuuki bent down to look at the Uchiha,

"_**Why do you approach me whelp?**_" The Yuuki spoke, his voice like a frozen silk vibrating through the raven.

"You failed to tell me that your Mate was the Kyuubi." Itachi said; the mention of Kyuubi made Yuuki's eyes narrow.

"_**Even in this container that is your soul I am compelled to protect my Mate. Tread carefully.**_" The Yuuki snarled in warning.

Itachi was silent for a moment before carefully treading to another subject he thought the Yuuki would rather discus more openly.

"What of Hidan? Why does he express so much hatred towards me now?" Itachi questioned with half-closed eyes.

A laughter vibrated through the air as the Yuuki's tails closed around the raven, the four tails fluffed out the keep any more snow from falling on Itachi. He was correct to assume that the Kitsune would be rather open to the subject of the albino and his hatred.

"_**Hidan has always been a promising child.**_" The Yuuki grinned, his markings a vibrant sapphire as he spoke.

"_**It is a very grave insult to him that you hold me human. His very religion sees me as the embodiment of his Kami.**_" The Yuuki smirked and chuckled as he raised a paw to draw the rosary of Jashin in the snow.

"_**Children born with albinism have been thrown into my territory for the past 7 centuries. Humans claimed them to be my pups and there for cursed."**_

Itachi tilted his head as he listened; he brushed off the snow from his shoulders and looked at the Yuuki with a rather stoic expression.

"They thought you bred the mothers of these children?" He asked, he had rarely spoken to the Yuuki of such ancient history.

The Yuuki gave a husk laugh and nodded.

"_**Yes, yes they did. In the end the mothers were always murdered after casting their newborns into my lands.**_" The Yuuki smirked.

"What of the Kyuubi? How did it end up in your lands?" Itachi said, despite the earlier warning.

The Yuuki's eyes narrowed but returned to their own stoic look, he licked his lips remembering the taste of summer in the Kyuubi's blood as he cleaned the deep wound on his side.

"_**He came to me in the month of the Opal Moon. A time when the snows were at their most unpredictable.**_"

Itachi looked up at the Yuuki before he chuckled once more.

"_**His side was wounded and couldn't go much further. I allowed him to stay until his wound had healed then sent him on his way… But he returned the next year…**_" The Yuuki trailed off.

Itachi was about to ask a new question when he was shaken from his meditation by a rather uncertain Naruto, Itachi looked at the blonde with a stoic look and nodded. Naruto ran back to the other two for Itachi to see that the sun had set and that their evening meal was already cooked; he rose and took a seat between the fire and the tent. Naruto was between Kakuzu and the fire as the miser looked down at the blonde before his shoulder's fell and he handed Naruto a small serving of food to pass to Hidan. Hidan grumble something as he began to eat the rice and small portion of meat he was given, before long the four were eating in silence. Naruto was seemingly unaffected by the events that had taken place earlier but Itachi knew better, the blonde's uncertainty around him was a giveaway that the blonde didn't want to be near the raven unless it was needed. It was an effective mask that the young Shinobi was wearing, Hidan would ask the blonde how his arm was and Naruto would happily flex his arm to show the immortal the arm was fine.

"It's actually pretty cool, it means that no one can look at me and think that I am nobody." Naruto said with a grin.

There was a silence for a moment before Hidan couldn't help but chuckle softly, Konoha had no idea just what a valuable Shinobi they lost if only they had taken the time to polish the child's skills. Knowing how the people had treated Naruto when he was a child made Hidan almost glad that the blonde had left Konoha. It was the way that the blonde vessel had left that made the immortal think about how painful it must've been to have slashed his headband. It was amazing to Hidan as to how Naruto could still be so optimistic, the mask that the blonde wore was rather good for a child's mask. What is the world was it that the blonde child had went through to make such a mask.

"Now if only you had the proper fucking training, gaki." Hidan said with a feral grin.

Naruto pouted and crossed his arms before closing his eyes, still very much like the child he was. He had moved on from being a simple Jinnchuriki to being a Marked Vessel yet a comment about his training made him go from enthusiastic to pouting. Hidan and Kakuzu were far beyond young themselves, surprisingly enough Kakuzu was the older of the two but Hidan didn't care. Those two knew firsthand how being a Shinobi for so long tended to deaden one's emotions when it came to killing someone else; Hidan thrived on it while Kakuzu saw it as a means for money only. Itachi couldn't help but silently muse at how the young blonde could be so bright then flip at the drop of a hat, but Naruto was but a child to them. Naruto opened his eyes before looking between Kakuzu and Hidan, a thoughtful expression on his face, the light of the fire gleamed off of his slashed headband before a warm smile slowly spread over his features.

"Why can't you teach me?" Naruto asked both older men making them grunt in surprise.

Kakuzu seemed to glare at Hidan for opening his mouth, on the inside they both knew that out of the Akatsuki they were the most durable plus one other member. Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at the elder Nukenins' responses, on the inside the Kyuubi was laughing darkly inside of the fox den it had made in Naruto's soul. If Naruto was to be trained it would take someone far more durable than an average sensei and Shinobi to keep up with just how fast Naruto devoured information. His use of the Shadow Clone Jutsu was the secret to just how quickly he learned new techniques without taking years to master them. Hidan leaned back with a scowl as Kakuzu reached over and roughly cuffed his ear, the immortal swore under his breath before glaring at Naruto when he chuckled scratching the corner of his eyes innocently.

"What's wrong Father, you always said you wouldn't die easily." Naruto said, using Hidan's demanded title as a way to please the immortal.

Hidan flushed and grumbled to himself before cuffing Naruto in the ear lightly, the blonde yipped and ducked with a grin. Naruto knew that it was only a matter of time before Hidan would sigh and cuss before sighing in defeat. Kakuzu looked between Naruto and Hidan before pinching the bridge of his nose tightly, Hidan was enough of a chore for the miser to deal with but Naruto was just a child himself. The boy chuckling looking at Hidan before smiling up at Kakuzu nearly making the older man lean back by its warmth, the boy was like ball of the sun when he was excited or happy. Naruto couldn't help but close his eyes and chuckle before pulling out a small bag from his pants, Kakuzu raise a brow before spying the small orange candy the blonde popped into his mouth. The boy nearly purred and relaxed under the candy's orange flavor, the older Shinobi seemed to be stunned by just how spontaneous the blonde Vessel could be.

'_**Only you would ask two of the most wanted Shinobi in the nation to be your sensei…**_' The Kyuubi nearly deadpanned in Naruto's mind.

Naruto only chuckled softly and looked up at Hidan and Kakuzu with bright blue eyes, the two looked at the blonde between them before they heard Itachi shift to get up. The elder Uchiha seemed to be perplexed at why the blonde would want the two older men to teach him, they may have been more durable to handle Naruto should the Kyuubi show them its fangs but how would they teach Naruto to fight using his tenant. That was something that only Itachi could teach the blonde, however the Kyuubi seemed to be keen to avoid the raven for now. Itachi couldn't help but blame the Kyuubi considering that it seemed to have believed that the Yuuki had perished and was still in mourning of the Yuuki's death. It appeared to be a touchy subject for both of the demons, it wasn't something that Itachi really wanted to rouse however Naruto didn't seem to keen to touch the subject just yet himself. While the two elder men seemed to slightly think over the possibilities that they could teach the young blonde, Itachi thought on the Hyuuga and his little brother's defection to Otogakure no Sato. It may have been a secret agreement to leave Konoha in order to build their clans in a new village, it wasn't such a farfetched theory seeing as the young Uchiha was ambitious enough to leave the village with someone with equally as promising. The young Hyuuga heiress would have been a promising coup to Otogakure should she be joining the village with the young Uchiha.

"Gaki if I fucking train you I'm not going easy on you." Hidan suddenly growled, the look on his face promised death if Naruto was slacking.

Itachi's eyes closed as he returned to his thoughts, Hidan's words had cut at him before he looked at the young blonde's wide grin. Naruto seemed to be delighted to hear that Hidan had agreed to train him, there was almost no better teacher than an immortal. There were no arguments that there were benefits to having an immortal as a sensei but there were also risks, though an immortal couldn't be killed it also meant that it would be easy to forget that not everyone was an immortal if the blonde was merely taught by people who couldn't really die. It was almost begging for an accident should the blonde train with the older Shinobi long enough to forget that not everyone was like his possibly two sensei as Kakuzu had not yet agreed to training the boy. Itachi couldn't help but shake his head before looking to the two older men with a serious expression on his face as he spoke.

"If Hidan is to train the boy then the other members _will_ be warned, and that is only _if_ Leader allows him to live." Itachi stated coldly.

The campground had gone quiet as if reminded that in the end it was the Leader or the Akatsuki that would decided if the blonde would even live long enough to be trained. It was a fate that hung heavily over Naruto's head before the four Shinobi all grew quiet for the rest of the night. It was the Kyuubi who lowly crooned to the young blonde, reminding the boy that he would not be parted from the boy so easily now that they had finally come to terms with their fate as tenant and vessel. It wasn't often that a Bijuu had been so comforting to their vessels but the Kyuubi no Kitsune was no ordinary Bijuu.


End file.
